Red Bull threatens to quit F1 if Renault does not build competitive engine

Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz again issues F1 quit threat; he claims that they will pull out of F1 if engine supplier Renault does not manage to build “a competitive” engine.

He did not mention a timeframe for improvement by the French manufacturer, whose contract runs until the end of 2016.

Red Bull took the F1 driver and constructor championship from 2010-13 with Renault. Despite three wins by Daniel Ricciardo, it lost its dominant position to Mercedes last season following the introduction of turbocharged V6 hybrid engines.

Talking ahead of Chinese GP, Mateschitz confirms he is re-evaluating his involvement in F1, despite being committed to the sport until at least 2020.

“We will only stay in Formula 1 if we have a competitive team, and we need a competitive power unit for that,” the Red Bull boss was quoted as saying by the Austria Press Agency.

“If we don’t have one, we can race with the best car and the best drivers and still have no chance of competing for victory.

“We are not a car manufacturer who could justify the investment. So we rely on Renault to close the gap to Ferrari and, above all, Mercedes.

“If the cost-benefit calculation isn’t right anymore, it’s not to say that we’ll continue forever.”

“Of course Renault can also weigh its options, including a pull-out. As a manufacturer, it’s your task to deliver a competitive power unit.

“If you can do that, it’s great. If, for whatever reason, you can’t do that, you should pull out. Then the consequences for us would be clear, too.”